On this page I
am going to discuss in detail, those church going folks or christians who
will be left on the earth when the rapture takes place. I have mentioned
this group of people a couple of times. You can see 2 links that mention
them here:
On those pages I didn't focus on these
people, but more on the rapture and how to be raptured. Here I will go
into detail on what makes these christians different than those who will
get raptured.
These people can be prophetically characterized
by those who didn't cross the Jordan for their promised inheritance. 2
1/2 tribes of Israel claimed their inheritance on the side of Jordan without
crossing over into the promised land. Reuben was one of these. Reuben was
the eldest son of Jacob/Israel. Reuben can be symbolized by some
of the older denominations who do not preach and teach the born again experience
nor do they flow with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gad is another son/tribe.
What we know of Gad was they had a large herd of cattle as Reuben did.
This is a large denomination or movement of God. We also know this:
Gen:49:19: Gad, a troop shall overcome
him: but he shall overcome at the last.
Someone or something overtook Gad, but
in the end, Gad overcame. This speaks of Gad being left behind, he was
overtaken, but during the trials of the end, he overcomes. Or perhaps Gad
got overtaken by sacraments or liturgy.
Perhaps Reuben will represent those who
do not overcome and turn to the One World Babylonian religion. This may
represent the final stage of Catholicism.
Then there is the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh.
Manasseh was a son of Joseph, but Jacob/Israel claimed for him an equal
inheritance with his dad and uncles. This must represent a movement or
denomination that is an offshoot denomination or movement, but is considered
an equal christian denomination. Israel also gave Manasseh the lesser blessing
than that of his brother. Even tho Manasseh's father Joseph tried to get
Israel to bless Manasseh more. I believe Manasseh represents the Episcopal
type church. The Episcopal church is sacramental and liturgical, but is
also charismatic and evangelical.
So these 2 1/2 tribes: Reuben, Gad, and
half of Manasseh, are spiritually significant. We will look even closer
at them.
I am not condemning these denominations
nor the people in them. In fact I believe they will become even more mature
than those raptured, if they overcome, which Gad will do. How do I say
this? Read here:
Math 20: MKJV 8 So when evening had come, the lord
of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and pay them their
wage, beginning from the last to the first. 10 But when the first came, they supposed
that they would received more; and they also each one received a denarius. 11 And receiving it they murmured against
the master of the house, 12 saying, These last have worked
only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the
burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them and
said, Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take yours, and go; I will give
to this last one the same as to you. 16 So the last shall be first,
and the first last, for many are called, but few are chosen.
Here we see the laborers who responded
first, think they will receive a greater reward. Many christians who have
crossed over Jordan (discussed below) are judgmental of those believers
who have not crossed over or have crossed over later. We also see from
this parable that the late comers will be rewarded first. Why is this?
Because they will be on the earth during the tribulation and will be found
faithful. So much faithful, their faith and works will out weight those
who were raptured.
Rev 14: 13 ¶ And I heard a voice
from Heaven saying to me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord
from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they shall rest from their labors, and
their works follow them.
Joshua 22 shows another big difference
between these 2 1/2 tribes from the others. They built a high altar to
worship God. The other tribes came to war against them for this very reason.
When they learned this great altar was for God, they left in peace. These
2 1/2 denominations or movements of God represent the sacramental churches
who have what is considered "high" worship, where they separate their worship
with sacraments and services. The service and sacraments are regarded HIGHLY
in a manner which seems not normal for the other believers. This is a liturgy.
A HIGH liturgy of service instead of just preaching the Word of God, with
the newness of spirit.
God had set up a type of worship with specific
methods in the service. What happened is that the people became religious,
and looked to the service more than to God. Then God began to hate the
actual services He had set up:
Isa 1: 13: Bring no more vain oblations; incense
is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies,
I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14: Your new moons and your appointed
feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Such churches are caught up in religion
rather than a relationship with God. Probably about half of all christians
today are in sacramental churches. This is remarkable really, that half
of all Christians would be involved in only 2 1/2 movements, but this is
because of tradition.
These 2 1/2 tribes represent the oldest
church denominations, other denominations that are liturgical, and offshoot
denominations which have gone the way of a liturgical service or a sacramental
system.
Not everyone involved in such churches
are caught up in the system, and there are other types of churches which
create similar types of believers.
Here is Joshua 22:
Joshua 22 1 ¶ Then Joshua called for the
Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 3 You have not left your brothers these
many days until today, and have kept the observance of the command of the
LORD your God. 4 And now Jehovah your God has given
rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them. And now turn and go to your
tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD
has given to you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only, diligently take heed to do
the commands and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded
you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep
His commandments, and to cleave to Him, and to serve Him with all your
heart and with all your soul. 6 And Joshua blessed them and sent
them away. And they went to their tents. 7 And to the half tribe of Manasseh,
Moses had given possession in Bashan. And to its other half Joshua had
given possession with their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. And also
when Joshua had sent them away to their tents, then he blessed them. 9 And the sons of Reuben and the sons
of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned. And they departed from
the sons of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go
to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, of which they were
possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 10 ¶ And when they came to the
borders of Jordan in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons
of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built an altar of grand appearance
there by Jordan. 11 And the sons of Israel heard, Behold,
the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have
built an altar opposite the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at
the passage of the sons of Israel. 12 And when the sons of Israel heard,
the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves at Shiloh
to go to war against them. 13 And the sons of Israel sent Phinehas
the son of Eleazar the priest to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of
Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, 14 and with him ten rulers, a ruler
from each of the chief houses throughout all the tribes of Israel. And
each one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of
Israel. 15 And they came to the sons of Reuben,
and to the sons of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, to the land
of Gilead, and they spoke with them saying, 16 So says all the congregation of
Jehovah: What trespass is this that you have committed against the God
of Israel, to turn away today from following Jehovah, in that you have
built an altar for you so that you might rebel this day against Jehovah? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little
for us, from which we have not been made clean until today? Yea, a plague
came on the congregation of Jehovah! 18 But must you turn away today from
following Jehovah? It shall be, you rebel today against the LORD, and tomorrow
He will be angry with all the congregation of Israel. 19 But surely if the land of your possession
is unclean, pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD in which
the LORD's tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us. But do not
rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us in building an altar for yourselves
besides the altar of Jehovah our God. 21 ¶ And the sons of Reuben and
the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the
heads of the thousands of Israel, 22 Jehovah God of gods, Jehovah God
of gods shall know, and Israel shall know if it is in rebellion or in transgression
against Jehovah (you shall not save us alive today), 23 that we have built us an altar to
turn from following Jehovah. Or if we have built an altar to offer on it
burnt offering or food offering, or if to offer peace offerings on it,
let Jehovah Himself require it . 24 And if we have not done it for fear
of this thing, saying, In time to come your sons might speak to our sons,
saying, What have you to do with Jehovah God of Israel? 25 For Jehovah has made Jordan a border
between us and you, sons of Reuben and sons of Gad. You have no part in
Jehovah. And your sons shall make our sons stop fearing Jehovah. 26 And we said, Let us now prepare
to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, 27 but it shall be a witness between
us and you, and our generations after us, so that we might do the service
of Jehovah before Him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices
and with our peace offerings; so that your sons may not say to our sons
in time to come, You have no part in Jehovah. 28 And we said that when they should
say so to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, Behold
the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt
offerings nor for sacrifices, but it is a witness between us and you. 29 Far be it from us that we should
rebel against Jehovah and turn this day from following Jehovah, to build
an altar for burnt offerings, for food offerings, or for sacrifices, besides
the altar of Jehovah our God that is before His tabernacle! 30 ¶ And Phinehas the priest,
and the rulers of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel
with him, heard the words that the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and
the sons of Manasseh spoke. And it was good in their eyes. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar
the priest said to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the
half tribe of Manasseh, Today we see that Jehovah is among us, because
you have not committed this sin against Jehovah. Now you have delivered
the sons of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah. 32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar
the priest, and the rulers, returned from the sons of Reuben, and from
the sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the
sons of Israel, and brought them word again. 33 And the thing pleased the sons of
Israel. And the sons of Israel blessed God and no more said to go up against
them in battle, to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and Gad
lived. 34 And the sons of Reuben and the sons
of Gad proclaimed regarding the altar, that it was a witness between us
that Jehovah is God.
These 2 1/2 tribes decided to take their
inheritance on the worldly side of Jordan. Then they set
up this great altar which was strange to the rest of Israel. These are
the 2 main factors that separate them from the rest of Israel.
The crossing of the Jordan represents dying
to self and the world and gaining new life and spiritual inheritance in
God. This is just like water baptism. Let me quote a section from my baptisms
page (please note in this quote below I refer to the 1st baptism, the Baptism
of Repentance):
2nd
Baptism - Baptism
into Water/into His Death/in the Name
Romans 6: MKJV 2 ... How shall we who died to sin
live any longer in it? 3 Do you not know that as many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him
by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Acts 8: MKJV 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and
began at the same Scripture and preached the gospel of Jesus to him. 36 And as they passed along the way,
they came on some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water, what
hinders me from being baptized? 37 Philip said, If you believe with
all your heart, it is lawful. And he answered and said, I believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to
stand still. And they both went down into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch. And he baptized him.
Water baptism is a symbolic representation
of what Christ has done for us. Just as the eunuch did with Philip. Being
submersed into the water represents we died with Christ. Coming out of
the water represents we have been raised with Christ into newness of life.
The 1st baptism is where God's incorruptible
seed conceives new life in us. This baptism represents being born again.
1 Peter 1: nKJV 23 having been born again, not of corruptible
seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides
forever,
These are 2 separate acts. Being conceived
by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God at the point of believing
in Christ and His death for our sin and being born again and becoming a
new creature.
2 Cor 5:17: Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
We can see these are 2 different works
of God here:
John 1:12: But as many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on his name
Receiving Him, is when He implants His
seed in your heart, which happens when you believe. Only AFTER you have
done this, does He give you the power to become a son of God.
How many believers are conceived but never
born again? There are entire denominations which have many such believers.
I myself became a believer when I was about 8 years old. When I was about
22 years old I became born again.
We must be born again.
John 3: MKJV 3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly,
truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.
Being born again is more than just believing
in Jesus and believing He died for your sins. Being born again is believing
that you died with Him, and were raised into a new life in Christ.
I admonish everyone who is able and believes
that they have died with Christ to go get water baptized. Water baptism
doesn't get you into heaven, but is a confession to God and man of what
Jesus has done for you. God understands if prison or living in a country
where the church is persecuted or such circumstances forbid the water baptism.
But those who are able should do so for their own conscience before God.
In another page I go into detail about
believing verses being Born Again here:
So, these denominations and churches, are
usually churches who do not preach and do water baptisms, full submersions.
Of which is symbolic of being born again. Just as the 2 1/2 tribes of Israel
were satisfied with their inheritance without crossing Jordan, these churches
are spiritually satisfied
without being born again and committing
their life to Christ as new creatures, having been crucified with Christ.
Many of these churches follow liturgy which
they have received through tradition. This liturgy is called "High Worship"
and is represented by the great alter the 2 1/2 tribes built.
Many of these churches claim their tradition
is equal to the written Word of God. But this is what Jesus said about
such traditions:
Mark 7:13: Making the word of God of
none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such
like things do ye.
Jesus says tradition can nullify the Word
of God. We must be careful to not let any tradition take away from the
authority of the Word of God. Nor make it equal with the Word of God.
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Links of interest:
I discuss in more depth the failure of
church traditions here:
I strongly implore any Bible believing
Christian and anyone who believes in Jesus, to crossover Jordan and get
the extra oil. I discuss this extra oil, and what steps you should take
here:
In the following page I go into detail
about Religious Babylon, those who within the 2 1/2 tribes who refuse to
cross over and in fact rebel against Christ after the rapture:
